Chapter 11: A dream upon waking.
Do you remember Mike TeeVee, from "Charlie and the chocolate factory"?
Do you remember how he was sucked into the static, and the white abyss of nothingness?
Do you remember that?
I do, I do remember it all too clearly.
I remember it, because I am living through it.
I keep trying to open my eyes, and keep trying to scream for help, but no one answers.
I hear Edward, and I hear Jasper, but I cannot see them, and they cannot hear me.
I remember Edward reaching his hand to console me; I remember the way it felt when his hand touched my skin.
I hear Edward, I hear his crying, and his pleading, but I do not know why this stranger is here grieving for me.
I hear Edward, and Jasper talking to each other.
I am glad they at least have that.
"Has anything changed since I left?", I hear Jasper ask.
I know Edward doesn't say anything but I can tell he doesn't need to.
Jasper sighs and sits down next to me.
The silence is getting to be unbearable, and all I want to do is force my body to get up and leave.
I know I have been here for awhile, because I can hear Jasper and Edward when they talk.
I wonder if they would say the things they say if they knew I could hear.
I hear Jasper sigh again, and then clear his throat.
"You know, you're not the only one who couldn't prevent Bella from being hurt?", I hear Jasper ask Edward.
Edward doesn't say anything, and I hear chairs being moved around.
"Want to hear something pathetic?", Jasper asks again.
Edward still doesn't talk, but Jasper isn't the giving up kind.
"I left home right out of high school, I could have gone to any college I wanted but I left everything I ever knew to defend what I believed in most", Jasper continues.
"Which is freedom. Freedom to speak, freedom to pray, freedom to believe in any religion you like, and most of all freedom to not speak if that is what your prefer", he says, and I could tell there was a bit of a joke in the last part.
Nobody says anything for awhile, and I just want to scream.
All of sudden I hear a chuckle, and then another laugh, and I realize that they are both laughing.
"Freedom to not speak, ay?", Edward asks Jasper.
"Freedom to do as you please", Jasper says with a laugh.
"What happened then?", Edward asks.
Jasper doesn't say anything for a minute or so, but I can hear his breathing.
"It's like every other story you have ever heard", Jasper shrugged.
"I went in thinking I was doing the right thing for the people I loved", Jasper said sadly.
"Where we were stationed, there was a town next door. I remember thinking "this isn't right". We shouldn't be this close to innocent people", he said.
"They started to bomb us and we had no choice to fight back. I remember seeing woman and children running for their lives. I remember watching their own people not caring if they were in the way. They were gunned down, and blown up right in front of me. I felt sick to my stomach, I threw up", he went on.
"I remember this little girl running towards me, I wanted to protect her. I wanted to get to her before anyone else. I was running towards her so fast, I was almost there. I remember the look she gave me. She was pleading for me to help her. I could only think of my little sister. If she was in the same position as this little girl, would anyone stop to help her. I felt like the faster I ran, the further away she seemed to get. All of a sudden I was covered in her blood, and for lack of better word, guts. Her own people shot at her. I remember men on my own team taking woman hostage, and doing things to them, you couldn't dream of", he said weakly.
"I was taken hostage by the other side. They cut me up, and shot me. I was lucky though. Just as they were going in for the kill, my team rescued me and I was sent home and in critical condition. I didn't sign up for any of that. I just wanted to do the "American thing". I woke up late at night with night terrors, dripping in my own sweat, and screaming. It was scaring my little sister. I decided it was time to try and get help", Jasper finished.
"I am so sorry", was all Edward could say back.
"It's not your fault", Jasper replied.
I hear the door to my room opening and hear Jasper and Edward moving to get up.
"I think we need to let Bella get some rest", a woman nurse, I have never met before says.
"Isn't that all she's been doing?", I hear Edward whisper under his breath.
"How long will you keep her under?", Jasper asked the nurse.
"That information is not my business to tell", the nurse said coldly.
I feel the nurse injecting some sort of medicine into my veins, and just wish I could ask her what is going on.
I start to feel groggy and realize whatever she has given me is making me sleepy even inside my mind.
Before I know it, it is lights out for me, and I am asleep.